Failure of maternal antibodies to protect young turkey poults against challenge with turkey rhinotracheitis virus.
Groups of turkey poults with high levels of maternal antibodies (MA+) to turkey rhinotracheitis virus (TRTV) were challenged with virulent TRTV at 1, 5, and 10 days of age. A maternal antibody-free group (MA-) was also challenged at 1 day of age. Before each challenge, levels of maternal antibodies to TRTV were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Clinical signs were scored for each group. Unchallenged poults showed no signs. Respiratory signs in poults infected at 10 days of age resembled those seen in MA- birds infected at 1 day of age but both were more severe than in MA+ birds infected at 1 day of age, when the maternal antibodies were highest. However, overall, the presence of high levels of maternal antibodies did not prevent the development of clinical disease.
Naylor
C J
CJ
Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Liverpool, Neston, South Wirral, UK.
Worthington
K J
KJ
Jones
R C
RC
D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired / Q000276:immunology*; D018111:Pneumovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D018186:Pneumovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012119:Respiration / Q000502:physiology; D014422:Turkeys
D000914:Antibodies, Viral